


the warmth in winter

by meerida



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: (sort of...everyone i like is alive), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Everyone Is Alive, F/M, Fix-It, King Robb, Minor Olyvar Frey/Ysilla Royce, Minor Sansa Stark/Harrion Karstark, No Others - Freeform, Queen Roslin, Robb Lives, Roslin Deserves Nice Things, inwhich the author has feelings about elinor tyrell, some tyrell bashing oops
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-17
Updated: 2018-01-21
Packaged: 2019-03-05 21:45:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13396875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meerida/pseuds/meerida
Summary: Winterfell is like nothing Roslin has ever seen before, it’s like a picture from her story books, an image from her dreams. As she rides through the gates with Robb, the people cheering, there is a light snow and when she looks to her husband she sees it in his auburn hair, on his iron crown.Fix-it AU where Robb marries Roslin and joins up with Renly. Once the war is done with a King in the North and a King in the South, Westeros can know peace once more.





	1. a new family

**Author's Note:**

> Basically, everything goes right for the Starks. Jon doesn’t go to the Wall, Robb sends anyone but Theon to Pyke, never meets Jeyne, marries Roslin, he agrees to stay loyal to Renly and keep the Peace...This is a fix-it fic, be warned...

Winterfell is like nothing Roslin has ever seen before, it’s like a picture from her story books, an image from her dreams. As she rides through the gates with Robb, the people cheering, there is a light snow and when she looks to her husband she sees it in his auburn hair, on his iron crown.

 

 _This is my home now_ , Roslin thinks as she looks around, as the people throw flowers at them. She has never been so loved in her life and all she did was be named a Stark.

 

Robb helps her off her horse (she wasn’t ever really taught to ride at the Twins, only boys were worthy of that honour) and Roslin tries not to blush as he sets her down and smiles at her. He puts an arm around her and gestures to the castle. “Welcome home, Queen Roslin.”

 

Queen Roslin, that was her title now. Before, she was barely a lady in truth, all her clothes were handed down from sisters and cousins and even stepmothers, she shared a room with three other girls all her life (Amerei and Arwyn), nothing was of her own. Now she was queen and ladies came and measured her to make sure clothes fit her perfectly, her sisters and cousins were her ladies now and Robb promised her she would have a whole chamber and solar of her own. And there was the crown she wore, iron and bronze, Roslin had thought it was too strong looking for a woman, a girl but the Northerners seemed not to mind.

 

She knew she would have to work to gain their affection, so many of them had wished for their daughters and sisters to marry Robb and become Queen, she had always been just another of Walder Frey’s many children. _I will show them wrong_ , she had decided, so determined and strong she might have been a Stark in truth.

 

“Come, Roslin, you must meet my brothers,” Robb tells her. He smiles as she tries to blow some hair from her face. Robb smiles at her and pushes it out of the way and Roslin knows for certain she is bright red.

 

Robb waves at the smallfolk before entering the castle, taking Roslin to the great hall where more Northerners await. At the end of the hall, sitting at the head table is a man with grey hair and robes who must be the maester Robb spoke of fondly and beside him are two young boys, both with hair redder than Robb’s and big smiles.

 

Their names were Bran and Rickon, Roslin knew. Prince Bran was the one who was almost killed, Roslin cannot imagine why anyone would wish to kill a child or even attempt to. Bran cannot get around on his own, he cannot use his legs but he seems to be happy enough, especially at seeing his elder brother. The younger boy, Prince Rickon, couldn’t be more than five and was visibly struggling not to fidget. Beside him was a direwolf, like Robb’s except Rickon’s was darker and...scarier looking.

 

Roslin looks over to Robb and sees his grin. How long had it been since he had seen his brothers? Roslin knew that the Starks were a close family and she is so thankful she can be apart of it. “Bran,” Robb greets casually but both brothers wear matching smiles, “I speak for the entirety of the North when I say thank you for looking after it while I was gone, you and all those who looked after my kingdom when I could not shall be rewarded justly.”

Bran nods at that, chest puffing with pride. “I am proud to have served my king and protected the people of Winterfell and Winter Town.” The words were clearly rehearsed but Robb still looks grateful.

 

“Prince Bran, Prince Rickon, I should like to speak with you in my chambers,” Robb says in a mock serious voice, causing his brothers to grin.

 

* * *

 

Roslin’s chambers are bigger than any that were in the Twins and she even has her own solar. Still she cannot imagine she is free from that place, from her father’s cruel grasp. She does miss it, a little, she misses some of her brothers and sisters - though not all of them, definitely not all - especially her full brothers.

 

Perwyn was the eldest and never failed to protect her; Benfrey wanted to be so much like their older brothers he seemed to forget Roslin, but she knew he loved her; Willamen was smarter than most at the Twins and everyone always said how lucky he was, with his looks and smarts and, most importantly, the fact that he got away; Olyvar was Roslin’s greatest friend and would write her stories of running off.

 

None of them were still at the Twins anymore and Roslin knew her other siblings spoke of how lucky the Rosby-Freys were. Perwyn had gone off to start afresh in Braavos somewhere and sent letters when he could, Benfrey and Jyana took their children and now live in Lannisport or some other city where they can blend in, Willamen was a chained maester, trying to abandon his last name and Olyvar too was in the Vale, wed to Ysilla Royce (Robb had wanted a match between a brother of Roslin, the queen, and a daughter or sister of a loyal lord and it helped that Olyvar and Ysilla so loved each other).

 

Roslin was happy Olyvar had found love in this world and had almost cried of joy when she heard Ysilla was expecting a babe quite soon.

 

Her hand goes to her own belly and perhaps she just imagines the slight swell there. There is only a chance she is with child but she cannot help picturing her and Robb having children that would run around Winterfell, laughter ever in the air. Babes of red hair and brown eyes or brown hair and blue eyes, Roslin cannot decide which she would like better.

 

There is a knock at her door. That is new too - at the Twins people would just barge in without knocking, especially into the girls’ chambers. “Enter,” she calls in her best queenly voice.

 

It is Lady Catelyn, her goodmother. “Queen Roslin,” she greets with that motherly smile of hers. What would Roslin’s mother say if she were here right now, her shy daughter with a crown of iron and bronze on the hair she got from the Rosbys? All of Bethany Rosby’s children had got her looks and all the other girls would say how truly lucky Roslin was because of it.

 

“Lady Catelyn,” Roslin nods, gesturing for the other woman to continue.

 

“If you aren’t busy, your grace, Bran and Rickon should like to meet you. Robb is speaking with Maester Luwin - the man who helped run the castle in his absence - to ensure all is well.”

 

Roslin smiles. “I should love to meet them, my lady.”

 

The two boys are called in by their mother - Bran is rolled into the room in a small wheelchair - both with their direwolves. Rickon is holding a small wrapped box and seems to be pleased he got to hold it. Roslin is certain Robb’s bond with Grey Wind is stronger than most people have with their pets and she wonders if such a thing is true with his siblings. “Queen Roslin,” they both say, looking both excited and nervous.

 

She curtseys, smiling warmly at them. Roslin sits down and Rickon does the same. “Queen Roslin, Bran and I have a gift for you.” He gives it to her with wide, hopeful, innocent eyes.

 

“Thank you, Rickon. You may call me Roslin, it will make us closer, I think.” Rickon nods at that, turning to smile proudly at his brother. Bran was perhaps nine and looked wiser than his years, more serious and solemn than a child should be. But then, things had happened to him that shouldn’t happen to any child, he was crippled, had to watch almost all his family leave him and had to govern the North, the harsh, cruel North, on his own. Even so, Bran had a smile for his little brother.

 

Roslin looks to the gift and carefully opens it. She never really got gifts at the Twins, only a few on her nameday and that was it. Perhaps that is why she takes so long to open it, and she can see Rickon fidgeting with anticipation. It ends up being a small box and inside that was an old bronze ring.

 

“We found it while we played in the crypts,” Bran explains. Roslin finds it odd how casually he can speak of playing near the dead, but Robb too had spoken of playing among the tombs and statues, once Lady Catelyn had seen her confused look and had told Roslin that only a Stark could truly feel at home among the dead in the crypts.

 

Rickon nods, grinning. “In the old part,” he adds.

 

For Roslin’s benefit, Bran says, “There used to be a wall blocking the newer parts of the crypts to the older parts but Jon and Theon and Smalljon decided to try and get it down, as the Starks are kings again. It’s still a tight squeeze, Theon had to carry me because you can’t get a chair through it, but they’re going to clear it up soon. Anyway, we found this at a statue of a Queen of the North of old, she wasn’t a Stark by birth, like you she married into the line, we think. It has an R on it, for her name - we think it was Raya, but it was hard to read - and yours.”

 

Roslin hesitantly tries it on and finds it fits well, perhaps a little big but she supposes she can grow into it. “This is...wonderful, Bran, Rickon. Thank you very much. Unfortunately, House Frey has neither crypts nor interesting ring so I don’t know how I might repay you.”

 

“You should come down to the crypts with us one day,” Rickon suggests, eyes bright, so childlike.

 

Lady Catelyn stares at him. “Rickon, what makes you think Queen Roslin should like to explore that cold, scary place?”

 

The young boy simply shrugs. “Starks aren’t scared of the crypts.” Roslin understands what he means; she is a Stark. Roslin smiles at that, so grateful. _This is what a family should be like_ , she cannot help but think.


	2. rides and lies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yet Roslin could still remember the easy smile Edmure wore, how carelessly he laughed or japed. She had always wondered what that was like, to care and worry so little.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there is some tyrell bashing here (from a tyrell?), so if you are a fan of them, uh, beware? i’ve just never really liked them, honestly. anyway...

Though she had grown up close to the castle Roslin had seen Riverrun only once and that was when she was a Stark and stayed there while men fought elsewhere. In peaceful times, Riverrun is much nicer, she notes. The trident is a lovely rush of blue-green, begging to be swam in, but unfortunately they, she and Robb, are here on business matters. They were on their way to King Renly, in King’s Landing, when they realised that if Lord Edmure is to come too they might as well ride alongside him. 

 

Edmure’s wife comes too, excited to see her family again. From what Roslin can tell Elinor Tully thinks her husband is a fool, if she eyerolls she sends her husband’s way are ought to go by. Roslin tries to speak with Elinor but she remains reserved, no matter how kind Roslin is to her. Perhaps she thinks herself too good for Riverrun? She is from Highgarden, that is famous for being truly beautiful, after all. Roslin finds it odd if that’s the case, compared to the Twins Riverrun is a palace. But then, Highgarden certainly is not the Twins.

 

As she was younger and ‘just a girl’ Roslin wasn’t ever allowed to visit Riverrun with her brothers and boy cousins (not that Freys went much, her father and Lord Hoster never had taken a liking to one another) so to distract herself from her sadness at being left out Roslin, with Amerie, would make up stories about the people who lived there, going off of the little they knew of them - back then all Roslin knew of their history but of the Tullys themselves she knew little but for the fact that Hoster Tully was a wise, perhaps ambitious man who wed Minisa Whent, who lived at Harrenhal, and they lost some babes before having two girls, smart Catelyn and fair Lysa, and eventually a son, Edmure, who Roslin had seen once, years and years ago when Lord Hoster was living and well and brought his heir to the Twins. 

 

Father had, as ever, hoped for a match between a Frey girl and Edmure but naught had come of it. Yet Roslin could still remember the easy smile Edmure wore, how carelessly he laughed or japed. She had always wondered what that was like, to care and worry so little.

 

Now though, Edmure cares much, he is a lord and husband and seems to not know much of either. And, he has bags under his eyes and always seems tired. He has lost his father, Roslin thinks, and his sister, Lysa Arryn passed of a fever not so long ago, leaving her son an orphan. Was there ought worse than losing a parent, or both? Roslin’s mother died when she was but three, Bethany Rosby was little more than a story her brothers told only rarely for it brought them pain to think of her, let alone speak about her. Robb had lost his father and cannot speak of Lord Eddard without a darkness passing over his face and him glancing off to the distance, looking as though he is thousands of yards away. It makes Roslin wonder if she is better off, not knowing her mother to truly miss her?

 

She shakes herself, bringing herself from her thoughts. They are riding to the capital and Roslin can see it in the distance, though only just. Ahead of her Robb and Lord Edmure are riding together, speaking about something. Roslin looks to her side, where Elinor looks as lost in thought as she was herself. 

 

Roslin wonders what Elinor is thinking of, perhaps her excitement, happiness at seeing her family again? Though, she doesn’t look happy like one might expect when they’re seeing their family after so long. 

“Lady Elinor,” Roslin says, getting the other girl’s attention. “Are you well?”

 

“Yes, I am, Queen Roslin,” Elinor replies, not even bothering to feign a smile. 

 

Roslin tries to lighten the situation a little. “Please, just Roslin. We are family.”

 

“Of course,” Elinor agrees, “you are my aunt by law.” 

 

It was odd to be the aunt of someone the same age as Roslin. It reminds her of her father’s most recent wife, Jeyne, who was a year younger than Roslin. She doesn’t like thinking of her father though, and she supposes even Elinor is better company than him. “Do you miss your family? I heard you are close to your cousins?”

 

Elinor nods, looking to her with, was that sadness in her eyes? “Megga and Alla were my greatest friends, we played in the gardens together every day after our lessons. I...miss them.”

 

“And Queen Margaery, were you not close with her?” Roslin asks, smiling when she sees, for perhaps the first time, a smile on Elinor’s face. That smile turns so quickly to a frown, Elinor’s happiness to pain so fast, that Roslin cannot speak she is so shocked.

 

“So everyone believes. Megga and Alla and I, we were friends, we could tell the others our secrets and giggle about handsome squires. Margaery, she was our cousins but more than that she was our lord’s daughter. We didn’t laugh and smile with her, We served her. Now that she is queen, everyone does.”

 

Roslin doesn’t know what to say to that, to the utter hatred in Elinor’s voice, she just nods.

 

Just minutes ago Elinor seemed pained to speak to anyone but now she had plenty to say, filling in Roslin’s silence. “I mean not to aim this hatred at you, but I doubt you can understand what it was like. Day in, day out I served them, my own family. I listened to Margaery’s fears and wants and joys, wiped her tears, brushed her hair, made her bath, changed her bed, helped her dress. I watched her grow ever more beautiful, watcher her wed Renly Baratheon, watched her become queen. I was there since the very beginning and Margaery promised I would wed the man of my choice, the man I loved. Yet, Margaery became queen and I was shipped off by Mace, the fool, and Olenna, the witch. Megga and Alla were sent off too, Megga to Humfrey Hightower and Alla to Dickon Tarly.”

 

“I...I am sorry to hear that,” Roslin says awkwardly. “That they didn’t treat you well after you were so loyal to them…”

 

Elinor looks at her, chin raised high. She acts like a queen, Roslin thinks. “Perhaps this is why I cannot fit into the ideas of House Tully. You’re from the Riverlands, you know their words are ‘Family, Duty, Honour’. Duty, I’ve always done what I’ve been told and I know the importance of honour. But family? I have never truly trusted my family. Alla says I’m cruel when I say family drags you down, holds you back.”

 

“It is important too, though,” Roslin says, “you have a mother and father and brothers, and Alla and Megga, surely you love them?”

 

The other girl looks to her, then nods. “Yes, I love them all very much. But where would I be without them, if I was my parents’ only child. I wouldn’t be married to Edmure, that I know for sure. Where, Roslin, might you be if you didn’t have the family you had?”

 

There is no time to answer, not when Robb slows down to ride beside them. “My ladies, we are almost there,” he tells them, gesturing to the city gates that they have almost reached. “You shall see it for the first time, Roslin. And Lady Elinor, you shall see your queenly cousin once more.”

 

Roslin looks to Elinor and is shocked to see the joy on her face, so genuine looking Roslin wonders if Elinor just lied to her. “Yes, your grace, I cannot believe I shall see her again! Never did I realise how much distance separates RIverrun and the capital,” Elinor tells Robb joyfully.

 

Robb nods, then says his farwells before riding to catch up with Edmure. Roslin stares at Elinor. “You lie well,” she says simply.

 

The gates open as Elinor shrugs, then throws her brown hair over her shoulder. “You will learn how to soon enough.”

 

No, Roslin thinks, I am a Stark, my life is not made of lies and treachery as once it was. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there was meant to be a plot/something happening here but this is a pretty self-indulgent fic anyway. i have a lot of feelings about elinor, and the 'forgotten tryells'. i'm not so much a fan of the main ones though...


End file.
